First (d,2He) reaction studies with the Texas A ampersand M Proton Spectrometer

The (d,2He) charge exchange reaction at intermediate energies is a promising choice to complement existing (n,p) studies of T> spin-flip strength in nuclei. The authors have completed construction of the Texas A ampersand M Proton Spectrometer and begun the first series of (d,2He) reaction measurements with it. The Proton Spectrometer is a large solid angle, moderate resolution magnetic spectrograph. It is optimized for detection of the di-proton final states produced in (d,2He) reactions with 110-160 MeV deuteron beams, but it will also be used to investigate identical particle correlations in heavy ion induced reactions. The overall system performance has been evaluated with continuum protons and deuterons produced in the d+12C reaction and appears to meet design specifications. The authors are now measuring cross sections and angular distributions of the (d,2He) reaction to discrete final states in light nuclei in order better to understand the reaction mechanism in this energy region. A brief description of the Proton Spectrometer will be given, followed by a discussion of the preliminary analysis of the first (d,2He) results